Three years ago, perhaps no one thought a cannabis company would be one of the fastest-growing startups in the US.

Yet this week, the cannabis-pen company Dosist claimed the second spot on LinkedIn's list of the top 50 startups in the US — and more impressively, it's the first cannabis-centered startup to make the list.

Business Insider reviewed the ranking, then spoke with an editor who coauthored it to see what she considered the most interesting trends in the startup world.

For example, Silicon Valley is known for its startup culture, but Jessi Hempel, a senior editor at large at LinkedIn, pointed out that six out of 50 startups on this year's list were actually based in Los Angeles.

"LA is really coming of age as a startup hub," Hempel told Business Insider, pointing to a slightly lower cost of living than that found in San Francisco and New York City. Perhaps even more crucially, she said, "startups are finding it easy to find capital there."

The emerging trends from LinkedIn's study are based on the decisions of more than 645 million users. Startups qualify for consideration for the list if they are seven years old or younger, are independent and privately held, and have 50 or more employees. They're more likely to make the list if they're increasing their employee base by at least 15% year over year and have high levels of external engagement. Interest in jobs as well as the quality of jobs employees left to join a startup were also factors.

When LinkedIn's editorial employees, including Hempel, looked at the resulting list of startups, they asked: "What about the nature of work is changing?"

The following five trends are answers to that question, along with breakout startups leading those trends and where they fell on the ranking.

Cannabis as a 'Wild West' industry.

Why the trend matters: The presence of Dosist on the top-50 list (at position No. 2 no less) makes it clear employees have an interest in jobs with cannabis-centered companies, according to Hempel.

The list reflects where people are actively seeking employment.

Even though employees want to go to these companies, though, Hempel doesn't think there will be one breakout company.

"I don't think there will be a Google of cannabis," she said. "But this is like a Wild West. There will be tons of cannabis companies. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw more cannabis companies on the list next year."

Breakout startup:

Dosist (No. 2): This Los Angeles-based company sells a cannabis dose pen meant to help alleviate symptoms like pain and insomnia. It has hired more than 100 employees this past year from places including Apple and Tesla.

Alternate transportation surges with options like Lime and Zoox.

A Lime electric scooter.
Reuters

Why the trend matters: Interest in alternate modes of transportation, whether through micro-mobility or autonomous taxis, is growing. According to Hempel, this reflects how consumers are rethinking the way they get around.

"I think we'll continue to see companies innovate in how you get vehicles to people, and that would be Lime and Bird, with scooters," Hempel said, "and how you help vehicles move on their own."

Breakout startups:

Lime (No. 12): This company introduced dockless bikes and scooters to more than 100 companies in the past two years.

Zoox (No. 15): Zoox wants to have a ride-hailing service in place by 2020 — with all-electric, fully autonomous vehicles.

Aurora (No. 18): This is another autonomous-vehicle company focused on bringing people and goods to their intended locations.

Food choice is driven by convenience.

Driverless delivery through the startup Nuro.
Nuro

Why the trend matters: Delivery-on-demand food services now operate with or without human drivers in an effort to make life easier and more convenient for people, according to a LinkedIn analysis of the ranking.

"We see that a lot of the founders don't have degrees and don't really care if the people they hire have degrees, as long as they can do the job," Hempel said, adding that past work performance was what mattered to them.

Breakout startups:

Brex (No. 5): The company focuses on financial services. Its first product offering is a corporate credit card for startups.

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